


Have a holly jolly Christmas

by orphan_account



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Awkward Ben Solo, Ben is just a boy standing in front of a girl asking her to love him, But Ben is a royal and he likes Rey so much, F/M, May the Hallmark movies be with you, Modern AU, Poe Dameron is the Reylo enabler Ben needs, Rey doesn't like royals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-28 00:15:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17172215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: In which Ben Solo is the Crown Prince of Alderaan, engaged to lady Kaydel and soon to be married, but he has the most massive crush for the housekeeper of his family winter chalet.And she thinks he is Poe.





	1. He knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Semperfidani](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Semperfidani/gifts).



“What do these people think they’re doing, telling us they’re spending Christmas here with barely a two-week notice? Do they have any idea how long it takes to clean this place properly? Of course they don’t, because they’re bloody royals who probably never dusted anything or cleaned after themselves for their entire life, they’re just– oh! Oh, sorry, I didn’t know there was somebody here!”

He raises his eyes from the book he has been reading and… well, that is the moment when Ben Organa Solo knows he is fucked.

Actually, Ben Organa Naberrie Skywalker Solo is fucked, because the situation probably requires the use of his full name to adequately convey the level of his fucked-ness.

She has an accent. It’s not exactly Coruscanti, not quite Stewjonese, but it can be generally pinpointed to the ex-Imperial regions and Ben has always had a thing for accents, especially Imps. They just… sound so nice, you know? Classy and round and just a bit snarky and yeah, Ben definitely has a thing for Imperial accents. Of course, he has never told anyone and will carry the secret to his grave because his mother, father and uncle all actively participated in the anti-Imperial war, and so saying that he likes Imperial accents would be the equivalent of claiming a fondness for German in the house of a Nazi survivor. Ben Organa Naberrie Skywalker Solo is fucked, but he is not entirely stupid, thank you very much.

Problem is, accent-girl also has legs for days. Very long, slim legs, an adorable smattering of freckles and vivid hazel eyes which gleam with the softest hue of green under the sunlight that is coming through the windows.

She’s tall. Not Phasma-tall, just taller than most women Ben usually deals with. Shorter than aunt Amilyn, yes, but taller than his mother, taller than Jessika and Paige… tall enough that she would fit perfectly under his chin if Ben were to cross the distance between them and hold her in his arms.

Yes: _hold her in his arms_. That’s when Ben realizes he is utterly fucked, because he has a strict no-touch policy and now he’s already gauging the possibility of holding closely a perfect accent. Stranger. Stranger with an accent. That.

Whatever.

He is so fucked.

“Uhm. Uh. Don’t worry, I was just reading some… I was just reading.”

The girl bites her lips. “You… didn’t hear what I was saying, right?”

“About the bloody royals? I’m afraid I did.” She pales so quickly he’s afraid she’s going to faint. “But don’t worry,” he hastily adds, “After all, you’re not exactly wrong. Royals tend to have selected staff to clean after any of their messes, so…”

The girl brightens up and heaves a relieved sigh. “They do, don’t they?” she jokes. “I’ve never met the royal family but just the tales I’ve heard about the Prince’s tantrums are enough to make me _cringe_. Would you believe they told us only today that they’re coming? In two weeks. Two weeks! Have you seen this place? They call it a chalet but I tell you, I’ve worked in five-star hotels that are smaller than the main building alone. What kind of people call this place a chalet?”

Ben tries not to wince too evidently. Wonderful: the beautiful girl with the accent has heard about his _tantrums_.

Honestly, this is so unfair. Every adolescent is allowed to questionable life choices but of course royals can’t act up like your common teenager and Ben has always been quite… temperamental.

But he has grown up since his early twenties, he has worked to improve his public image. Possibly because both his mother, his father _and_ his uncle boxed his ears to the point he’s almost sure it’s their fault if they stick up so much and he has to hide them under his hair.

So, yeah, it’s unfair that the beautiful girl has heard about his tantrums and not, say, the year he spent supervising the building of several schools and orphanages for children in Tatooine, or that time he led the diplomacy mission on Naboo.

“Yeah… these stuck-up royals, uh?”

The girl laughs and crosses the distance between them holding out her hand with a confident, cheerful smile. “Yes! Anyway, I’m Rey. I’m the housekeeper here.”

He takes her hand. It’s small and warm although her skin is a bit rough. Definitely the hand of someone who’s used to working hard.

“Oh, uhm…” Now Ben can’t say that he is _Ben_ , else Rey would think he has been playing her the whole time while, really, he just didn’t want her to hate him. She seems fantastic. And he really, really, _really_ doesn’t want her to hate him. “I’m Poe.”

“Poe?”

“Poe Dameron. I…” He is not entirely sure what Poe does. At some point, his mother simply decided it would be a wise choice to glue Poe Dameron to his ass and let him charm away all the people that Ben usually manages to upset. It’s quite a good number of people. “I clean up after the Prince’s messes.”

“Oh. So it will soon be two of us. Did he send you in advance to spy if the place is good enough for Their Majesties?”

“No. Actually, he will arrive today, before the King and Queen. I think he’ll be here shortly.”

Rey pales again, but this time her eyes spark with outrage. “What? Why wasn’t I notified? The rooms aren’t ready yet! For fuck’s… _urgh_.”

“I– I mean, the Prince hoped to avoid the usual fanfare. You know, just, relax and have some peace and quiet before his parents arrive.”

“This is a disaster. I’m sorry Poe but I need to go. Like, now. We haven’t even taken out the bed linens yet! What was the Prince thinking?”

He grimaces. “I’m sorry.”

“No, please, it’s not your fault,” she sighs. “Well, since I’d very much like to keep my job, I’d better go and fix this before it’s too late.”

“I don’t think you would be fired for a bed without linens, trust me.”

“I don’t want to take my chances. This is literally the best job I’ve had in years. I guess I’ll see you around?”

She says it with a touch of interest in her voice. Almost hope, if Ben dares to believe it.

“Yes. Sure.”

_He is so fucked._

 

*

 

Ben rushes outside as soon as he hears the car approaching. He doesn’t even bother with a coat: he just trudges through wind and snow to stop Poe before he can enter the _chalet_ – come to think of it, it is quite ridiculous to call _chalet_ a building made up by four different wings.

“Oh, look there! If it isn’t my favourite walking tree!” Poe waves at him as he hoists a backpack up his shoulder.

Ben is onto him in a second.

“Poe, you’ve got to help me.”

Poe’s blinding smile doesn’t even waver. “Sure man, I’m right here for you. What do you need? Pick the flowers? Keep the wedding planners away? No prob with your bachelor’s party because that’s all set already–”

“No, no! Would you just shut your mouth and listen to me for a second?”

“Woah, nervous, are we? It’s alright, it’s okay to get the jitters when you’re close to the big step…”

“You have to pretend to be me.”

Poe halts. He frowns and chews his lip. Then he simply says, “Cool.”

“Seriously?”

“I mean, I consider Leia as a mother figure and I’ve always thought royalty would suit me better than you.”

“You’re not even going to ask me why?”

“I figured you were gonna tell me at some point.”

Ben is surprised. Maybe he shouldn’t be. After all, this wouldn’t even be the craziest thing Poe has done since they’ve known each other.

“Uh.”

“So, are you?”

“What?”

“Gonna tell me why I should impersonate the Crown Prince of Alderaan?”

Ben takes a deep breath. Then another. Then another one again.

“There’s a girl.”

Poe grins. His eyes are fucking _sparkling_. “Oh, this is gonna be fun. Tell me everything. Can we go inside? It’s kinda chilly here.”

“No, _she_ is inside.”

“The girl?”

“The girl. She’s the housekeeper. And for some reasons she had no idea who I am and then she saw me and she _hates_ me.”

Poe snorts. “Well, that’s a new record. She only needed to look at you to hate you? What were you doing, throwing the cutlery against the windows?”

“That’s the thing: I did nothing! But she was nervous because she was told only today that we’re spending Christmas here, and then she found out _I_ was supposed to arrive in a matter of minutes, which didn’t help, and she’s heard of… you know, the past.”

“Ah. Damn, are those gossips still going? I thought we had silenced them all by now.”

“Apparently not.”

“No worries, I’ll make a few calls. Anyway, how does this explain me pretending to be you?”

“I told her I was you.”

Poe makes a regretful noise in his throat. “And why exactly?”

“Have you lost the point where I told you she hates me? She hates the Crown Prince. Or what she knows about the Crown Prince.”

“Ah, so you told her you’re _not_ the Crown Prince.”

“More like I didn’t tell her I was, and then it was too late so I said I was you.”

“She must be really cute,” Poe guesses and pats him on the shoulder sympathetically. Ben doesn’t answer. He clenches his jaw and glares at the hand touching him. “Ah, that cute? She has an accent, doesn’t she?”

“I hate you.”

Poe cackles, “Oh, she has it! A cutie with an accent! Poor Ben, did you blush? I’m sure you blushed.”

“I did _not_ blush,” he fumes.

“I’m so sure you did! So fucking sure! Now I’m sad I wasn’t there to see it.” He keeps laughing. He is downright _crying_ because he can’t stop laughing. Poe is a horrible person. Ben should just fire him. He will. He will definitely fire him. “Okay, just one thing, Treebeard mine: you _do_ remember why we’re here, yeah? You know, all the Ben-is-finally-tying-the-knot celebration, your mom crying proud tears and your father saying you still got time to join a crew of pirates?”

“Yes, I know.”

“And now you want me to pretend I’m you because you like a girl.”

“Yes.”

He gets it. Ben truly gets it. He can see by himself that he is diving headfirst into a huge sea of trouble but milk is spilled, eggs are broken and all that shit. He can’t tell Rey _now_ that he is, in fact, the Ben Solo she dislikes so much.

“Kaydel is not gonna like it,” Poe warns him more seriously.

“Kaydel doesn’t like me nor the prospect of marrying me but she’s the only one with enough noble ancestry and brains to rule a country with me.”

“And your mother loves her.”

“And my mother loves her.”

A euphemism if one ever existed: Leia Organa dotes on Kaydel as if she were the daughter she’s always desired. And she probably is. Ben knows his mother used to want a girl to continue the family name, probably still wants one, but carrying Ben had been risky enough and the doctors and his father had dissuaded her from trying for another baby.

At least she has found Kaydel, who has been all too happy to become the Queen’s warden.

Poe grimaces. “Your mom’s not going to like this either.”

“You know, I wasn’t intending on telling her about this… _predicament_.”

“Yeah, you’d better not. Ben, I have to say, this thing sounds real fun but I don’t think it’ll go as well and smoothly as you seem to think.”

Ben huffs, “So you’re not doing it?”

“Of course I’m doing it! I’ve always got your back, buddy,” he says, trying to hug Ben.

He ducks and scowls. “I’m not your buddy.”

“C’mon, I’ve known you since you were three. I think I can safely say we are buddies by now. Best buddies.”

“Not a chance.”

“Do you still need me to play prince for you?”

“Yes.”

Poe rubs his hands and grins. “Then we are officially buddies. Come on, let’s go meet this girl!”

 

*

 

They find her pretty easily: Rey is behind the staircase and just in front of the kitchen doors, checking a seemingly very long list on her notepad and calling two of the maids by their names. She curls around her finger a lock of hair that escaped from her braid as she tells the two young women to use the blue bedsheets in the Prince’s room. Ben’s room.

The maids leave and Rey turns. She startles when she sees Ben but she soon smiles openly at him.

“Oh, Poe, already back! Can I help you–” she eyes at Poe curiously – “or your friend?”

Even if he isn’t looking at his face, Ben knows Poe is grinning. He has noticed the accent.

“No, thank you. I just wanted… he’s Ben. The Prince. This is Ben. Ben, this is Rey. Housekeeper.”

His oral skills are usually so much better than this. Ben is getting quite frustrated with himself because fine, nice accent, gorgeous legs and a fucking perfect face, but getting so hot and bothered in front of a girl is unlike him. What has got into him?

Poe smiles wickedly and leans against the wooden pillars with his elbow.

“How you doin’?” he greets her. It probably looks charming from his perspective. Ben just thinks he sounds stupid.

Rey frowns and looks at Poe as if she couldn’t believe he is real. Which is quite a common reaction, sadly. Usually, it’s followed by girls swooning.

Ben should not, not, _not_ feel his stomach churning.

“Did you just quote Joey Tribbiani at me?”

Poe blinks and his smug smile slips a bit. “Maybe? Glad you caught it, Miss.”

“Johnson. Miss Johnson.” She scowls and nods her head, attempting even a quick courtsey. She is almost formal enough to look respectful. “We are thrilled to have you here, Your Highness. I hope you and your parents will enjoy your Christmas. Are we to expect any new surprise guests?”

“If we expected them, it wouldn’t be a surprise!”

 _Jock_. Ben groans and rubs his hand on his face. “No, Miss Johnson. My– Queen Leia and the Prince Consort will arrive in two weeks as established. No more surprises, I promise.”

“Good, thank you. I’ll have someone bring in your luggage. The room will be ready in a matter of minutes, Your Highness.”

Poe tuts, “Please, just Ben will suffice.”

“There’s an etiquette, Your Highness. Breaking it is heavily frowned upon.”

“Then by royal decree I allow you to break away.” He pats Ben’s shoulder. Again. “My friend Poe seems to think you’re a very efficient worker. I like to be friends with the most skilled members of our staff.”

Rey blinks and shoots a quick glance at Ben. A faint blush colours her cheeks. It makes the green in her eyes shine brighter.

Oh, he’s going to _murder_ Poe.

“Thank you for the trust, _Your Highness._ I suppose I will consider the offer in the next days.”

Oh God, he is even more fucked than what he thought.


	2. I won't even wish for snow, I'm just gonna keep on waiting underneath the mistletoe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know how to write about any nerdy fandom without sneaking in references to other nerdy fandoms. And I’m not saying I share Ben or Rey’s opinion on _The Hobbit_. But maybe I do. Or maybe not. Who knows. The point is: Ben is a massive nerd in every possible universe ever.

Poe is sleeping in Ben’s room – _“I’m the Crown Prince, buddy. We must make this game solid”_ – and doesn’t lose a chance to rub it in his face, but Ben couldn’t care less. A bed is a bed and yes, the game must stay solid.

Ben is waking up early. Every damn morning. A fine first for him, who’s always been the night owl of the family – his father doesn’t count. He’s just lazy and would sleep past noon if anyone let him – but he has found out the day of a housekeeper begins very early indeed and breakfast is one of the few moments when Rey has time to chat and joke and just relax over a cup of extra-sweet coffee – _three_ sugars plus cream. A lot of cream – while she talks with Ben about her passion for engines and any type of machinery and how she ended up in Alderaan in the first place: she took a job as a maid as soon as she turned eighteen, got promoted in less than a year when the previous housekeeper retired, and then she just started moving from place to place, where job recommendations sent her.

She never talks about a home or a family, so Ben supposes she isn’t on very good terms with her relatives. He can kinda relate with that: now that he is all grown up he can admit his parents are gorgeous people, but with being always too busy ruling a country and solving the world’s most hideous problems, they didn’t have too much time for Ben while he was growing up. It put quite a strain on their relationship, but he likes to think they’re getting past it, all three of them. There are still awkward moments of silence when they meet, but it could be worse.

On the other hand, being around Rey is the easiest thing ever. Way easier than being around Kaydel.

Uh, no. No, he’s not touching that. The thought of his fiancée is totally off-limits right now. Although Ben knows he ought to talk to her at some point. He just hasn’t decided exactly _when_. Maybe if things go somewhere beyond easy chatting and dry jokes with Rey, Ben could pick a date.

Ah, pick a date. Catch the irony, ladies and gentlemen.

Yeah, Ben can definitely see why Poe keeps telling him that this is _not_ going to end well. If he thinks about it, Ben can even hear Poe’s footsteps behind him as he sneaks up on him to pat him on the shoulder and calls him _buddy_.

Except Poe _is_ standing right behind him and pats him on the shoulder as Ben sips his coffee.

“Hey, Treebeard!” he greets him jovially. How can anyone be _jovial_ at 6:30 am is beyond him.

Ben grits his teeth and scowls. Poe knows how much he hates being touched and he’s having the time of his life pestering Ben, who can’t _growl_ at him as he usually would because fucking Crown Prince masquerade.

“Stop it,” he pleads. His voice might sound mellow, but his eyes are burning holes in Poe’s cheerful grin.

Rey frowns. It seems like frowning is her typical reaction to seeing Poe and Ben is only half elated by it because he’s still unsure whether she is frowning at Poe Dameron or at the Crown Prince.

“Treebeard? Why would you call him Treebeard?”

Poe gestures at Ben. “Have you seen my guy here? He’s build like a tree trunk. A tall tree trunk which the poor hobbits wish so much they could climb. Hence, Treebeard.”

Ben pinches the bridge of his nose, blushing so hard his cheeks are positively burning. “I don’t know why I put up with you.”

“Because I am _the Prince_ ,” Poe points out while winking at Ben, “and I put up with your Tolkien marathon twice.” He looks at Rey now. “Extended edition marathon. _The Hobbit_ included. This guy is a total nerd.”

“I’m gonna fire you,” Ben spits.

“I don’t think you can, _Poe_.”

“Fine. I’m resigning, then.”

“Have fun explaining that to the Queen, man.”

Ben is one second away from flipping tables and calling the whole charade off. When one week ago he begged Poe to help him, he didn’t expect his so-called friend to play matchmaker for him and Rey, but maybe he dared hoping he wouldn’t spend the most of his time embarrassing Ben in front of Rey.

That probably speaks volumes about how much he knows Poe. That also speaks volumes about how fucked Ben is, because he always has some witty and spiky remark down his sleeve. It is just the presence of Rey that renders him… useless. And quite pathetic, if he has to be honest with himself.

“I love Tolkien, and I think Lee Pace did a very interesting job with Thranduil,” Rey argues. “And I mean, the simple existence of Tauriel is very debatable but at least they _tried_ to add something new. Hell, otherwise how would you even make three movies out of that single book? Now, had it been Fëanor story, maybe–”

Poe sighs mournfully, “For Heaven’s sake, there are _two_ of them!”

Ben, on his part, perks up.

“Are you saying you support her lovestory?” he asks cautiously, because if Rey likes that part of the plotline, then Ben might just give up on her immediately: there is no way he can get along with anyone who doesn’t find that rushed love-plot utterly ridiculous. Ben would forgive her minor sins like truly enjoying corn candy or disliking Tom Stoppard, but _this_ would be a dealbreaker. Come on, supposedly, the friendship between Legolas and Gimli had been groundbreaking, who’s going to buy that some sixty years earlier an elf fell in love with a dwarf? And he is not even going to mention the healing scene.

Ben is very bitter about a lot of plotlines in _The Hobbit_ movies.

Rey sticks out her tongue. “Yuck, no. It completely defies the surprise and novelty of Legolas and Gimli’s friendship in _The Lord of the Rings_!”

It’s official now: Ben has fallen in love. Rey is his soulmate, period. He’s gonna call Kaydel first thing after breakfast and tell her that _so sorry, I’ve found the love of my life. Anyway, I know you’re gay, don’t you think it’s time you let my mom know? Before she expects grandchildren from us, possibly?_

And maybe his face is showing a little where his thoughts are leading him because Poe snorts.

“Buddy, you alright there? “

“I’m absolutely fine, thank you.”

“Your Highness,” Poe adds with a killer smile.

Ben only arches his eyebrows pointedly. “No need to call me Highness, _Prince_. And anyway, what are you doing here so early?”

Poe snickers and puts his hands in the pockets of his flannel pajamas. Because of course he didn’t find the dignity to get properly dressed before leaving the bedroom as a crown prince would do – and as Ben has been taught to do since he was old enough to get dressed by himself.

“I was up and bored. Thought I might come and say hello.”

Rey sucks her lip. It’s a very endearing habit of hers which Ben has discovered she does every time she is distressed. Or annoyed. She is not the easiest person to read, but Ben is positive she is more the latter than the first right now. Maybe he is just flattering himself, but he thinks she likes the quiet chat they’ve been sharing over breakfast. Just the two of them. _Alone_.

And Poe has disrupted it.

“Your Highness, I don’t believe it’s considered proper for the Prince to mingle with the staff. In the kitchen, of all places.”

“Are there places where the mingling is allowed?” he smirks.

“I wouldn’t know for sure but probably not.”

He shrugs. “Pity. I was hoping to spend some time with my two favourite people of the house. By the way, Rey, would you follow me for a sec? I think there’s something weird with the fireplace?”

Rey squares her shoulders and immediately stands up. “Which fireplace?”

“You know, the one in the… I should just show you.”

As soon as Rey rounds the table and is right next to Ben, Poe takes something from his pocket and wavers a green little branch over their heads. Which is quite the feat since he is not much taller than Rey.

“Hey, look! Mistletoe!”

Ben looks up and yes: Poe is seriously holding a little branch of mistletoe in his hand. Just above him and Rey.

He is going to kill him.

“Really, P– _rince_?”

Rey crosses her arms and scoffs, “There is nothing wrong with any fireplace, right?”

“Nope. Come on, Miss, you know there’s a rule with mistletoe and Christmas!”

She frowns – _again_ – and huffs, “I should get to work. Have a good morning, Poe. Your Highness, should I tell the cook to get your breakfast ready earlier?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to comply to the tradition?” He waves the mistletoe suggestively. Ben can practically feel his face going paler by the minute. He’s going to puke. “You’re upsetting the Christmas spirit, Miss Rey!”

She makes a sound in her throat, nods and leaves.

Ben is… disappointed. It’s not like he believed Rey was going to kiss him. That would be stupid. But maybe he hoped she would stay a little longer, maybe share opinions on Aragorn’s upbringing in Rivendell or just… talk… stuff.

Anyway, now she is gone. And it’s Poe’s fault.

“Well thanks, _buddy_. That was brilliant,” he fumes.

Poe puts the mistletoe back in his pocket with a grimace. “Meh. You won’t know until you try, my friend. Won’t know until you try.”

 

*

 

It’s the middle of the night and Ben can’t sleep.

He tries reading, tries watching something on Netflix. He has subscribed months ago, hoping to find something to talk about with Kaydel – who’s apparently a big fan of tv-series and indie movies – but he has never found the time or gathered enough curiosity to actually check the shows.

Eventually, he gives up. He looks out of the windows and sees it’s snowing. That draws a small smile on his face.

Ben puts on his thickest coat and walks down to the porch, hoping the silent show of the snow falling and covering everything will ease his mind a bit.

He finds Rey there, sitting on a bench and bundled up in several layers of woolen jackets, two scarves, and pink gloves. She looks just a tad silly and absolutely adorable, with her cheeks and tip of her nose reddened by the cold winter air.

She turns as she hears his steps.

“Hey, Poe! You up too?”

“Can’t sleep. Care for some company?”

“Sure.” Rey slides to the side of the bench so he can sit next to her. She shows him the red thermos in her hand. “Do you want some hot cocoa? It’s a family recipe, very special.” She scrunches her nose in a cute frown. “ Well, not _really_ family: one of my foster mums taught me. I think that almost counts as family.”

Ben bites the inside of his cheek, confused. “Foster mum?”

“Yeah. I ended up in the system when I was five. My parents abandoned me in a car park and I waited for them to come back until a policeman noticed something was wrong. And then I kept waiting until I realised I was nineteen and no one had come to get me yet. So I packed everything and started travelling around with the excuse of the job. Now I have no idea where my biological parents are but I’ve got friends in eight different countries.”

She tells him so while smiling and pouring the hot cocoa in the cup. She looks completely unfazed by her own story, but something in her eyes gets him. It’s just a shadow of sadness, and maybe he is only imagining it. But then again, maybe he is not.

He accepts the cocoa with a sympathetic nod. His hands hesitate a little around the cup and their fingers brush. Rey stiffens slightly, but she doesn’t pull back and well, wouldn’t you know, Ben’s heart _swells_ like never before.

“I’m sorry. That’s… this type of things should never happen. Especially not to you.”

He means it. Rey is always smiling, always laughing, always having a good word and a praise for everyone in the staff even when she’s one inch away from blowing a fuse because the gardener brought her blue pine instead of red fir or no one can find the very expensive Christmas decorations she needs for the main dining room. She is just kind and considerate and beautiful, and Ben doesn’t know how to tell her that _fun story, actually the Prince is me and I am the Prince, and that rapscallion sleeping in my room is the real Poe Dameron, please don’t hate me because I like you so much that my teenage crush for Rachel Weisz totally pales in comparison_.

Rey clicks her tongue and shakes her head, embarrassed. “Oh no, _I_ am sorry. I don’t know why I told you this. I usually make it a rule to keep the sob story for myself, I didn’t mean to…” she sighs, “Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. Honestly. I’m glad you told me.”

She eyes him skeptically. “Really?”

“Yeah. It’s one more thing to know about you.”

“Oh.” She smiles softly and Ben finds himself smiling back at her.

Rey brings her feet up on the bench and glides slowly towards him until her head rests on his shoulder.

Ben feels like he is sixteen again, when he fancied the cutest girl in the institute and his hands went sweaty every time he tried to talk to her but she sneered and turned her back on him. Except that this time the cutest girl is Rey and she is not sneering: she is resting against him, cozy and soft, and he is drinking the hot cocoa she offered him and his heart might be running ten miles a minute right now.

He is… happy.

Rey sighs contentedly and cuddles up against his chest. Ben puts an arm around her shoulders and takes the chance to inhale the fruity scent of her shampoo as he finishes his cocoa and puts the cup and thermos at the other side of the bench.

“So… snow?” she asks.

“Yeah, snow. I love it. I haven’t been here since I was… damn, much younger, but I loved it. Every time it would start snowing, my mom and I put on our coats and sat here under a bunch of blankets. Sometimes, my dad joined us too and we would watch the snow fall.”

“Your parents came here? Are they nobles too?”

Oh, crap. Right. For a moment, Ben forgot that technically he is Poe now. But he remembers one winter, after Poe’s mom died, when he and Kes actually came to the chalet to spend the Christmas with Ben and his family instead of staying at home and… well, missing Shara. Honestly? Best Christmas ever: his mom had been thrilled at the idea of having one more child to dote on, his father had got drunk with Kes and they had spent the entire holiday singing raunchy Rebel songs that little Ben and Poe should have never listened to. Uncle Luke had been there too.

“No, Heaven forbid. They were Rebels. They fought alongside the Queen and her husband during the Imperial war. They are still good friends.”

“I see.” Rey sucks her bottom lip pensively. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“How do you put up with Prince Ben? He is just so… _ugh_. I mean, maybe I would even bear with the constant jokes and all that arrogance if he weren’t so hellbent on seducing the entire staff. There is a fine line between being kind and leading people on. He’s making half of the maids swoon and daydream about him and that’s so cruel of him! He is the bloody prince! I’ve known people who would be highly upset that he’s being _friendly_ with the staff and now I have at least five of my girls, very good, hard-working girls, who believe he has a thing for them. It’s mean.”

Ben grimaces. That’s the effect Poe has on people. He just smiles and tilts his head wickedly and everybody fall at his feet. It’s one of the reasons why he is so good at keeping up with Ben and fixing whatever mess his moodswings cause. He has that charisma, the type Ben will never have, that inspire people to like him and to genuinely want to be liked in return.

“He can be a lot to handle, yes. But people have always liked him effortlessly, and he likes to be liked. He doesn’t have any mean intentions, he is only playing with the role.”

Rey huffs, “Well, of course you would say it. He is your boss.”

“No, I wouldn’t say that. He is more of a friend, and I watch his back. Even when he doesn’t deserve it,” he explains with a self-conscious smile. He knows he often doesn’t deserve any of Poe’s patience and good humor. “Now, the Queen: she is my real boss. Everything she says is literally law, you know.”

Rey smiles at the tepid joke. “So I’ve heard. How is she? In person, I mean.”

“Impressive. You won’t believe how much a small woman like her can dominate a room until you meet her in the flesh. I myself still haven’t grown used to it, and I’ve known her since the day I was born.”

“I feel so nervous thinking I’ll get to see her in a week. I know what her face looks like only because it’s printed on my money bills.”

Ben laughs, “You really haven’t ever checked a picture or whatnot?”

Rey shrugs. “Nope. When I took this job I was told the royal family hadn’t been using the chalet in fifteen years or such so I didn’t bother.”

“Seventeen. Since the Prince turned nineteen and–”

“Started to act like a prick?”

Ouch. Ben winces. “That is one way of saying it. I think that after coming of age he realized that so much of his life had already been decided for him and he had no saying in it. He didn’t take it overly well. But he’s trying to do better now.”

“Yes, I’ve heard about the humanitarian missions but it’s difficult to believe he is more than a pompous arse when I see him strolling around the halls like that. Anyway, I was told the family would hardly come here anytime soon so I just didn’t bother looking them up. You can imagine my surprise when I woke up a week ago to the news the family was indeed coming and the Prince was already on his way.”

Ben chuckles. “Quite the shocker, I suppose.”

“Quite!” she giggles. “But I like to think I’m handling it decently. Tomorrow all the decorations will be done, the pantry is fully stocked… yeah, we’re ready for the royal family to barge in. If they appeared now, I wouldn’t even blink.”

If his mother appeared now, Ben would definitely blink, though. Probably have a heart attack too.

He chortles nervously and looks up to distract himself from the thought of his mother. That’s when he notices something.

He nudges Rey and points upwards.

“Hey, look: mistletoe.”

She doesn’t check where he is pointing. She only smirks, blushing so hard her cheeks might be going on fire.

“Took you a while to notice.”

His head starts spinning. He thinks he has misheard her. “You… you knew?”

Rey shrugs, her smile leaning to shy now. “I might have.”

No. Na-ah. He can’t really believe what she is saying.

“So you want me to…”

“Yes,” she answers, a little breathlessly.

And oh. _Oh_. So yeah, the cutest girl truly likes him back. Like, for real.

Ben chuckles, a bit embarrassed, a bit lightheaded. His heart is stuck in his throat and there is no way she can’t feel its furious beating when he cups her cheek with his cold hand and brushes his lips over hers, still tentatively, unsure.

Rey giggles, just as nervous, but she opens her mouth and presses her lips against his and then they’re kissing, and she tastes so sweetly, of cocoa and cinnamon and other winter spices, and her lips are so soft, her tongue so warm. Ben is not entirely certain of what he is doing with his hands, just that he is clinging to her, holding her against his chest, and she feels good and perfect and when they finally break their kiss, her eyes glint with joy and he can’t stop the next words from jumping out of his mouth.

“I… I think I’m in love with you.”

Rey _beams_ at him.

“Cool, because I think I’m in love with you too.”

 

*

 

The morning after, Ben is still walking on the clouds, touching his lips, not quite sure he believes what has happened with Rey. That she truly kissed him, that she _orchestrated_ their kiss and she is in love with him. And he is in love with her.

He’s a thirty-six-year-old man, has two degrees and a PhD, and he feels like giggling and writing love poetry for the gorgeous brunette who sleeps in the east wing.

Ben knocks on Poe’s door – _his_ door, technically, but who cares anymore? _Rey is in love with him_ – until the man comes and lets him in.

“I may have figured why I like Rey so much,” Ben announces.

“Yeah?” Poe yawns. “Couldn’t it wait until, I don’t know, at least eight in the morning?”

“She _loathes_ you.”

Poe wakes up instantly, his eyes alert. “Now, you must be mistaken.”

“Oh no, she positively hates you. And not you as the edgy Crown Prince of Alderaan, but as you _you_.”

“That’s impossible. No one hates me. Everyone likes me. It’s the very reason why your mother hired me as your PR manager.”

“Uh. So that’s the job title?”

Poe shakes his head, hands in his pockets. “There isn’t really a title, that’s just the closest definition to what I do for you. And I do it splendidly because everyone likes me.”

“Rey doesn’t.”

“Girl must be broken. You’d better stay away from her, Ben, she probably has issues,” he says, pointing a warning finger at him. “Maybe she’s a psycho murderer or she collects ceramic cats.”

“How are those things on the same level?”

“ _Ceramic cats_ , Ben. Little, shiny ceramic cats with small painted eyes that look at you in the darkness of the night. Waiting for your moment of weakness.”

“I think _you_ have issues, Poe.”

“Have not.”

“Anyway, we kissed.”

“ _YOU WHAT?_ ”


	3. You will get a sentimental feeling when you hear voices singing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my head, “Han” is short for “Harrison” and you can do absolutely nothing to change my mind.

Ben is a man in love.

And an idiot.

He is a man in love because Rey is fantastic and they keep having breakfast together but now she also kisses him when they finish their coffee, and they keep finding excuses during the day to spend a bit of time with each other, holding hands like silly teenagers and kissing behind the massive staircases when no one is looking.

He is an idiot because he still hasn’t told her he is the Prince and, as Poe keeps reminding him, his parents are going to be here in a mere couple of days and by then it will be too fucking late to tell her the truth.

He tries to come clean during breakfast, but she is so cheerful and happy he just doesn’t want to ruin her mood. Then he thinks he could tell her while they’re decorating the Christmas tree, but Rey is handling glass bells and other fragile decorations and she’d go crazy if he made her break one because of his shock revelation.

Every moment is a good moment, and every moment is a terrible moment, so Ben keeps nestling his secret until one afternoon, when the chalet is ready two days in advance from Rey’s schedule and so they are walking hand in hand in the garden, leaving deep footprints in the snow.

One moment Rey is sticking her tongue out to taste the snowflakes falling from the sky, the other one Ben knows only that his face is suddenly freezing cold and there’s snow slipping into his coat and down his jumper.

He rubs the snow away from his eyes and sees Rey laughing, another snowball ready in her hand.

“You little–!”

The snowball hits him on his stomach. Rey runs away in a storm of giggles, trudging through the snow as fast as she can, and Ben rushes after her.

“You can’t catch me!” she laughs.

“You bet I can!” He scoops up a handful of snow and throws it at her back, hitting her hood.

She yelps and titters, “Felon! Striking your enemies from behind!”

Rey crouches down to prepare new snowballs and he exploits her distraction to tackle her to the ground. They fall together, laughing and rolling in the snow until Rey is resting on top of him, her hair wet with snowflakes and her jacket and scarf dusted with white. She looks angelic, her eyes bright with joy and her baby hair curling on her forehead.

Ben smiles. His heart is thumping in his chest and a warm and fuzzy feeling envelopes him despite the cold. He tucks a lock of Rey’s hair behind her ear and leans his head forward to nuzzle against her cheek. “Seems like I caught you, sweetheart.”

Rey giggles and kisses him on his lips. He still can’t quite believe how soft she feels, how good she tastes. He is been wondering how she would look with fewer pieces of clothing on, her hair spread on his pillow.

She’d probably be as gorgeous as ever.

They are so caught up with each other, they don’t hear the car engines roaring, nor the hasty footsteps of the people approaching.

“Ben?”

Ben recognizes that raspy voice behind him and he freezes, deer-caught-in-the-headlights style.

If he feared he was fucked before, now he’s just dead.

“Fuck,” he mutters, raising his head to meet the two figures walking towards them, the first almost as tall as Ben, the second ludicrously shorter.

They are not supposed to be here. They are absolutely not supposed to be here. What is with his family and the annoying habit of arriving before the established time?

“Good afternoon, Mom. Dad.”

His father hides his mouth behind his hand, trying to cover the amused curve of his lips, but it serves nothing as he can’t keep the laughter away from his voice: “Hey, son. Having a good time?”

Asshole.

Rey scurries up and frantically brushes the snow off from her clothes, trying to look as prim and proper as you can when you’ve been caught making out with a guy by his very parents.

His mother coughs meaningfully, “Ben, would you mind introducing us to this lovely lady?”

Ben stands up quite awkwardly. “Yes, in a moment. Mom, this is–”

But Rey blinks at him, her cheeks paling, and she interrupts him mid-sentence, “ _Ben?_ What… _Ben_?”

Fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuck.

That’s it. It happened. It finally came to pass: Ben is _royally_ fucked.

“Yes. About that… so, fun story–”

“Ben as in Ben Solo? _Ben Organa Solo?_ ” she snarls.

He winces and looks down ruefully. “I’m afraid so, yes.”

“ _You_ are the Prince? And who is your friend up there in the prince’s room then?”

“That would be Poe. The actual Poe Dameron.”

Ben is awfully aware of his father bending towards his mother at the corner of his eye. “Princess, I think we should leave,” he mumbles.

He tries to be subtle about it, but his father has never been good at keeping his voice low so Rey hears him anyway and shakes her head. “No, no need. Your Majesties, if I may be excused, _I_ am leaving. Right now!”

Technically, Rey should wait for his mother’s dismissal, but she is already stomping back to the chalet and Ben surely isn’t going to tell her she has just committed a major etiquette breach.

He is left alone in the snow with his parents, and now his mom is looking at him with her fists on her hips, in her eyes the same fiery resolution she only reserves to the ministers who manage to spite her spectacularly.

“ _Benjamin Harrison Organa Naberrie Skywalker Solo,_ _what did you do_?”

Now, if Ben weren’t currently so worried about Rey, he would totally quake under the severe scrutiny of his mother’s stare. But he keeps watching the footprints she left in the snow, aching to run after her.

His father snorts, “I think it’s quite clear what he did, Princess. He followed the family tradition: he screwed up.”

Well. There’s no point denying it.

Ben bites the inside of his cheek and takes a deep breath. “Can I talk to you later?”

Han Solo waves in the direction where Rey left. “Son, please. _Go_.”

He doesn’t need to be told twice.

 

*

 

He finds Rey immediately: she is in the kitchen talking to one of the maids who fell for Poe. When the young girl catches sight of Ben’s dishevelled appearance and Rey’s tempestuous glare, she takes exactly two seconds to flee out of the room.

Quite a sound choice. Ben would follow her example if he could.

He catches a glimpse at something flying in his direction and ducks instinctively, barely in time to avoid the teapot that Rey hurled at him. The ceramic cracks on the floor with a resounding crash.

“You absolute monster!” she shouts from the top of her lungs, grabbing the first thing she finds. It’s a silver tray. Ben hopes she’s not strong enough to throw it all the way across the kitchen. “You lied to me all this time!”

He skips to the left, escaping the silver tray by a hair’s breadth. Okay, apparently her anger is enough to fuel her strength.

Fuckfuckfuckfuck. What should he do? _What should he do?_

“I– well, _yes_ , but it was an honest misunderstanding.”

And there goes the second teapot. Another loud crash, fragments and pieces of porcelain scattering on the wooden floor.

This is awkwardly similar to the fights his parents used to have when he was a kid and Ben doesn’t like it one bit.

“Misunderstanding? How is pretending you’re someone else _a misunderstanding?_ ” Rey yells.

Ben sees what she is holding in her hands now and he almost faints. He tries to stop her, “No, no, no, please not that plate! It’s an heirloom from my biological grandmother, my mom’s going to have a heart attack if you break it.”

Rey puts down the plate and takes another one decorated with a delicate floral painting.

“What about this one?”

“That one was a wedding present from Lady Daryana Frayus.”

“And?”

“Mom never cared much for her.”

Rey nods, satisfied. “Good!”

She throws the plate like it’s a damn frisbee and for fuck’s sake, the girl has a killer aim. Despite his quick reflexes, this one almost gets him on his shoulder before shattering against the wall.

“Okay, if you’re done throwing things at me, can I talk now?”

“Oh, _now_ you want to talk?” Rey growls.

“I’m sorry! I’m… I was an idiot, but try to put yourself in my shoes! Ten days ago, I was just minding my own business, reading a book and waiting for my friend to arrive when this… this gorgeous, most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen comes into the room screaming bloody murder about the royal family, and _I_ am part of that family. But then she talks to me and smiles and I know I’m screwed for good because she is great and funny and has the most beautiful smile in the world and her laughter sounds marvellous, but she also hates me because she’s heard the rumours about me and so I’m doubly screwed because the moment I tell her I’m the Crown Prince she’ll refuse to talk to me ever again!” he says without catching breath, gesturing like a maniac, so now his head is spinning.

He feels a tad drunk. “So I panicked and did the first thing I could think of.”

Rey’s scowl deepens and she bares her teeth at him like an angry dog. Ben wouldn’t even be surprised if she aimed at his throat now. “You mean _lying_.”

“Yes, that was an extremely poor decision, but my point was trying to get to know the gorgeous woman in the library. Lying was simply a very disgraceful consequence. I just didn’t want you to hate me from the start.”

Rey clenches her hands in two tight fists, obviously trying to resist the desire to keep throwing stuff at him. “Well, that worked out just fine because I didn’t hate you then but I totally hate you now! What were you even thinking, Ben?”

“ _I wasn’t thinking!_ I saw you and my brain went blank. In case you haven’t noticed, you do that to me!”

“So now it’s my fault?”

“Yes!” Ben blurts out, only to grimace immediately after. “No, I mean, no, of course not! I just…” he huffs nervously, “Rey, do you believe in love at first sight?”

Oh dear. He really said that out loud, didn’t he? He’s doomed. He’s fucked. Ben is so fucked.

Rey glares at him so hard he can feel her stare burning holes into his face.

“I’m gonna start throwing things at you again. Cutlery this time.”

_Quick, Ben, think. Think!_

“I’ll take it as a no. Good. It’s good because neither did I, at least until I saw you, and you…” Ben weaves a frantic hand through his hair and sighs, “Usually, I don’t like people and people don’t like me. It’s fine, it’s just how it is. But you, Rey? You are incredible, and I think a part of me knew it from the very moment I saw you because when I first met your eyes, when I heard your voice, the world stopped. It just stopped. Everything freezes and becomes inconsequential when I’m with you.”

He sounds bewildered as he says this, still quite unsure how it’s possible that a girl like her, stunning in her own manner but un-dramatically so, can walk into a room and immediately command his full attention, snuffing out everything else that isn’t she. Ben has fallen so hard for her, in the way the protagonists from cheesy movies and cheap romances usually do. It’s unbelievable. It’s also tragically true. “I’ve been an idiot. I should have told you right away who I am, and I’m sorry if you feel like I’ve played you but I swear I haven’t. Everything I’ve said to you is true, aside from my name. So that’s it–” he says, pointing at himself– “I’m Ben Organa Solo, Crown Prince of Alderaan, and the other idiot who pretended to be me this whole time is my best friend Poe Dameron, who probably took pity on me when he saw how much I wanted you to like me. To… to love me, maybe. I’m sorry I wasn’t honest from the beginning.”

Rey’s glare softens imperceptibly, her fists relax just barely. Ben dares to feel a glimmer of hope.

“You say everything was true. Do you mean _really_ everything?” she utters, deadly serious.

“Yes.”

“Even what you said to me when we kissed? The first time we kissed under the mistletoe?”

“That was _almost_ true.” Her eyes harden again but Ben doesn’t let his courage falter. “Back then I told you I thought I was in love with you, but I don’t think it: I’m sure I do. I love you, and I am so afraid you will never forgive me–”

Rey stops him, “I do.” She blushes. “Forgive you, I mean. I did it after you ducked the second teapot.”

“Oh. _Oh._ So why did you let me go on with this rambling?”

Rey shrugs unapologetically, a devious grin flickering on her face. “I was curious to hear what you would say. I must admit it was a very good speech.”

“So I’m forgiven?” he asks, just to be sure he fully understands what she is saying.

She tilts her head and clicks her tongue, winking mischievously. “Just this once. So don’t make the same mistake twice.”

Ben puts his hand on his heart and swears, “You have my word. As Ben Solo _and_ as Crown Prince Ben Organa. It’s a binding vow, I can’t ever take it back.”

Rey smiles, apparently appeased.

“Good. Wait, aren’t you engaged, though?”

“My fiancée is dating one of Poe’s oldest friends so I’m sure she’ll be thrilled we can call the wedding off. She may even send us a fruit basket as a thank you.”

“I would have preferred chocolate.”

“I promise I will buy you as much chocolate as you want, as long as you want it.”

Rey giggles and crosses the distance between them.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

She still kinda tastes of cinnamon and hot cocoa.

 

*

 

It’s late at night and everyone’s asleep except for Ben and his father. They are sitting in the library in front of the crackling fire. His father is nursing a glass of whiskey in his hand.

“You’re lucky your mother doesn't give a shit about etiquette and ancestry, otherwise marrying that cutie up there would be tough.”

Ben chokes on his air. “I… _marrying_? Dad, don’t you think you’re going a little fast?”

His father puffs, “Son, I’ve seen your face when she’s around and I recognize it: I see it every morning in the mirror when I think about your mother. I’m not going fast, it’s you who should catch up.”

“I–” Ben opens his mouth, his finger pointing at his father while he thinks of a counterargument. But then he remembers Rey’s sweet smile during dinner and he forgets what he was about to say. “Do you think Mom has Grandma’s engagement ring somewhere?”

“She’s been carrying it _everywhere_ for years in the hope something like this would happen.”

“But… what about Kaydel?” he asks. While he knows Kaydel will accept the annulment of their engagement good-naturedly – she has always hoped to run for Prime Minister rather than becoming queen but marrying Ben had simply seemed easier – he can’t fathom how his mother would react.

“We were waiting to see what would happen first: Kaydel telling us she’s dating Tallie or you falling in love with some chick. Which reminds me I should thank you, son: your uncle now owes me a new engine for the Falcon.”

Ben goggles, bemused. “You made a _bet_ out of my love-life?”

His father nods and drinks a generous sip of whiskey. “And Kaydel’s. It was a gender-inclusive bet. You know how much your mother cares about this type of shit.”

“ _Mom was betting too?_ ”

“Yes, and she lost,” his father gloats. “God knows when that’ll happen again, so now I’m gonna rub it in her face as long as I can. Good luck with your proposal! We’ll see if you win me this bet too.”

Yeah, no. Ben is _not_ going to propose to Rey. He has met her only ten days ago. It would be stupid.

But asking Mom for the ring wouldn’t hurt anyone, would it?

Just in case.

 

*

 

Nine days later, when the clock strikes midnight, everyone is drunkenly cheering and the new year has officially begun, Ben takes Rey by the arm and sneaks behind the staircase with her, hiding in the corner where they know perfectly well no one will see them.

 

She says yes.


End file.
